The problem is the way many packaged foods are made, researchers believe. Products such as many frozen pizzas, cereals and chips pack more calories per gram than less-processed foods do. And most ultra-processed foods have combinations of salt, fat, sugar and carbohydrates that aren’t generally found in nature, which can make us crave them. Diets high in packaged foods without those traits—such as canned peaches or refried beans—don’t seem to lead people to overeat and gain weight, at least not as much.

Those are the findings so far of a continuing study investigating how ultra-processed food affects our bodies. Scientists presented their interim data at a workshop put on by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration….

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